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Exclusive Penelope Cruz Interview

PENELOPE
CRUZ might be one of the world's most famous actresses - and
the only Spanish actress in history to have won an Oscar - but
film-making aside, she's got a constant stream of projects on the
go. Most recently the Vogue cover girl was announced
as the new face of Spanish leather goods label Loewe and shot the 2013
Campari calendar.

"I'm an actress, I'm not one metre 80 [tall], I'm not a model - so
I find it easier to create a little character, even if there is no
script," she told us. "Especially when you are advertising a
product, I talk to the photographer and we create a character - it
always gives you more freedom because it makes it less about
yourself."

The 2013 Campari calendar is themed around superstition - inspired
by the unlucky-for-some number - and, shot by fashion photographer
Kristian Schuller, sees Cruz showcasing a series of scarlet
designs, from Marchesa and Monique
Lhuillier to Zac Posen, Alaia and Emilio
Pucci.

"I liked so many of the dresses but I'm a huge fan of Alaia," Cruz
told us. "I think he really knows the body of a woman."

The actress follows in the footsteps of Jessica Alba, Salma Hayek
and Eva Mendes in starring in the annual calendar, which Campari
CEO Bob Kunze-Concewitz says requires a certain type of
woman.

"It's a challenge to create something different, beautiful and
exciting each year," he told us. "Penelope's incredible personality
and beauty meant she was the perfect choice to embody this year's
theme."

The actress is just as happy behind the lens as she is in front of
it - photography is one of her favourite pastimes, and she revealed
in our interview that she's soon to direct her first television
commercial, although the subject of which is being kept firmly
under wraps.

"I am a big fan of photography, more of being behind the camera -
so when i get the opportunity to work with such great
photographers, I always try and learn from their technique. I
like seeing it as being like a day at school," she said. "I've made
say, 50 movies, so maybe I've learnt a little bit about directing.
I've been approached about it before but I've always said no -
you're talking about a year, or a year-and-a-half commitment - but
maybe in ten years time I will. I'm interested in it. Of course if
I did direct though, it would be in a very humble way and starting
from zero. It really is a whole different thing."

The 38-year-old has also dabbled in design. Alongside her
sister, Monica Cruz, she's been creating a handbag range for
Japanese store Samantha Thavasa for the past six years, has
previously designed a collection for Mango - and the pair are
launching their own line with lingerie brand Agent Provocateur, L'Agent, in
2013.

"It's great working with my sister, because
we are very close as a family - my brother, my sister and myself.
We have a great relationship," she said. "It's a blessing because
you want to be together as much as possible, so to work together is
really great."

Her design experience, coupled with brand
and film promotion having her grace red carpets all over the world
- an aspect of her job which she admits that she only "sometimes"
enjoys - has allowed Cruz to have a great level of respect for the
fashion industry.

"There are so many designers that I love,
and I'm so lucky that I get to work with so many of them and
sometimes spend time with them. As an actress you get to go to
these events and wear their things - it's fun but it is what it is.
I don't put a lot of time into it but I respect what they do," she
said. "There's a lot of work that goes into it - if you think about
how many collections a year that Karl
Lagerfeld has to do, with Chanel and all the other things he
does - you can't do that unless you are working 18 hours a day.
It's really a lot of hard, hard work."